29 August 2024, Colombo : The 2nd edition of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders South Asia’s Health and Humanity Summit, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 29th August 2024 sparked a crucial dialogue on issues affecting women health, people on the move, and humanitarian space in the South Asian region. The summit brought together 20 leading experts, thought leaders, academicians, and more than 250 attendees from the social impact arena. The gathering also called for concrete strategies to break the barriers in regional collaboration and pave the way for a more inclusive future for humanitarian efforts in South Asia.
For the 2024 edition, discussions centered on themes including ‘Women’s Vulnerabilities in Migration,’ ‘Dynamics of Regional Solidarity,’ ‘Reclaiming Spaces of Civil Society,’ and ‘Structural Inequities in Health and R&D Systems.’ The lineup of speakers featured esteemed figures such as Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy (Diplomat and human rights advocate), Hafsar Tameesuddin (Co-Secretary General, Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network), Sergio Martín (Chief of Operations, MSF Asia), Dr. Santhushya Fernando (Senior Lecturer, Department of Medical Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo), Heela Najibullah (Peace and Conflict Researcher), Ambassador Shyam Saran (Former Foreign Secretary of India), Dr Ravi Rannan-Eliya (Director, Institute of Health Policy, Sri Lanka), Lina AbiRafeh (Arab-American Women’s Rights Activist), Dr. Unni Krishnan Karunakara (Former MSF International President) and Smriti Singh (Regional Director, Amnesty International, Sri Lanka) among others.
Dr. Farhat Mantoo, Executive Director, MSF South Asia said, “In today’s landscape, collaborating and using collective wisdom to build meaningful partnerships, based on equity, is essential for impactful humanitarian aid. MSF is prioritizing locally-led voices to make localized care the standard. The organisation is designing interventions which are based on the best ways in which needs are addressed by those who are affected. True transformation goes beyond adaptation—it requires being a catalyst in civil society to drive change and bring prominence to issues that are invisible to many. By fostering dialogue and connecting local actors, we can alter the power imbalance and create a more effective humanitarian approach.”
Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy, human rights advocate and former UN Under-Secretary General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, delivered the keynote address for the summit. “In a world where gender inequality persists, the fight for protection and reproductive rights is more critical than ever. Women’s bodies and choices should not be battlegrounds but sanctuaries of dignity and freedom. We must ensure that gender justice is woven into the fabric of our global humanitarian efforts, empowering women to take control of their own future and safeguarding the rights of the next generation”, she said.
Another pivotal discussion, led by Dr Unni Krishnan Karunakara, Former MSF International President & Senior Fellow, Global Health Justice Partnership, Yale Law School, shed light on the stark realities of global health disparities, particularly in areas ravaged by conflict, disasters, and systemic neglect. He said, “We face a profound challenge in delivering essential health care to the victimized, marginalized and forgotten. The ability of those most in need, those living in precarity, to receive health care is not just a matter of access; but a matter of survival. To remain relevant and effective, MSF and other humanitarian organizations must commit to working with and working for individuals and communities where healthcare must be a fundamental right, not a privilege.”
A standout feature of the event was MSF’s Humanity Heals exhibition, an immersive experience blending photography, art, and installations to tell the powerful stories of vulnerable communities. Key exhibits included ‘Home in a Bag’, which starkly illustrated the harsh realities for women forced to flee their homes, focusing on the personal items they carry—symbols of their resilience and strength in crises. ‘Untangling’ used interactive threads to reveal how intersectional issues hinder regional solidarity, inviting viewers to explore the complex barriers to unity. ‘Shrinking Space’ featured 3D cutouts of news headlines, spotlighting the repression, censorship, and surveillance stifling civil society in South Asia, and underscoring the urgent need to protect this space. ‘For All’ delved into the inequalities in healthcare access, challenging visitors to envision solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.
The Summit aspires to serve as a dynamic platform where leaders and change-makers from the social impact space—including NGOs, academic institutions, research scholars, and policymakers—can convene to share insights and cultivate partnerships that drive meaningful change. By bringing together diverse perspectives across humanitarian work, healthcare, and innovation, MSF is dedicated to fostering the spirit of collaboration in the region. The ultimate goal is to strengthen efforts and create a cohesive strategy to address the pressing needs facing our communities.
